Introduction
Students without a teacher are frequently placed in the classrooms of ordinary educators, who must often provide additional support to help them succeed in their studies. Paras frequently take a direct approach to communication and support for students with disabilities who are placed in general education classes, as mentioned by Knackendoffel et al. (2018). Four of the thirty kids in Ms. Jeter’s class have learning difficulties (LD) and two have disabilities (ED). That makes the paraprofessional’s assistance critical in ensuring that all of her pupils receive the quality time and educational support they need (Zimmerman, 2022). The effectively proposed action plan will benefit students in their studies and give teachers a broader understanding of the required approach.
Teaching Philosophy and Vision
For each class, there are a wide range of students and professionals from varied backgrounds. Teamwork is essential in creating a safe, secure, and limited environment for our students. It is imperative that we keep up our efforts to cultivate a climate of mutual respect and trust between ourselves, our students, and their families. We want to keep learning from one other and our kids about the best ways to help them achieve academically and socially. Even though this is brand-new information for both teachers, it will be a collaborative learning experience (Zernow, 2022). An open discussion about work ethic, expectations, personal work styles, criticism, and the ability to grow professional abilities is what we hope to foster in our workplace.
Rules and Expectations
To ensure the safety and security of students and employees, it is critical to establish clear norms and expectations. Every class has at least one rule that goes something like this: “RESPECT.” When speaking to others, the best ways to demonstrate respect are to use other people’s names, make eye contact, use good etiquette, or use a warm tone of voice. Additionally, we are mimicking our pupils’ acceptable prosocial behavior (Zimmerman, 2022). The most important thing you can anticipate in the classroom is a sense of belonging.
Even when teachers disagree, students frequently have a better grasp of the subject matter than those who credit them with it. Students will be less likely to take advantage of teachers if the classroom is unified. This is the final requirement for establishing respect and togetherness in the classroom: you must communicate well.
Collaboration Model
Classrooms can benefit greatly from the usage of a single teacher and a single collaborative support system. While the teaching assistant keeps an eye on the class’s progress and offers assistance to pupils who need it, Ms. Jeter will be able to deliver directions to the kids (Battaglia, 2019). There are many advantages to having a student’s progress and accommodations monitored by a paraeducator.
Roles and Responsibilities
Roles and responsibilities will assist Ms. Jeter and her teachers establish a sense of mutual trust and respect by clearly delineating who is responsible for what. Ms. Jeter and her paraeducator have the following tasks and responsibilities:
Ms. Jeter:
- Preacher in Charge
- Identify and meet the needs of all students
- Develop and utilize teaching experiences in a variety of ways
Paraeducator:
- Assisting students with their reading knowledge organization
- Boost student motivation
- Ensure that students have the best possible support system (Zernow, 2022).
Shared:
- Ensure a positive learning atmosphere
- Comply with both practical and ethical requirements
- Students’ educational information, tests, and test scores should be kept private (Beninghof, 2020).
Collaboration Time
For a successful classroom, it is vital to make time for everyday interaction and a must for all schools. Ms. Jeter’s paraeducator will arrive 30 minutes before school to help set up the classroom and prepare the day’s curriculum (Battaglia, 2019). As a result of their discussions, the instructor and students will be able to look back on the previous day’s events and learn from each other’s experiences.
References
Battaglia, E. (2019). Strategies for co-teaching and teacher collaboration. Science Scope, 43(2), 80-83.
Beninghof, A. M. (2020). Co-teaching that works: Structures and strategies for maximizing student learning. John Wiley & Sons.
Farrand, K. M. (2021). Implementing co‐teaching with paraprofessionals to provide pre‐Kindergarten students with special rights access to dual language. British Journal of Special Education, 48(3), 282-300.
Zernow, M. R. (2022).A case study of a secondary education co-teaching model. Doctoral dissertation. University of La Verne.
Zimmerman, K. N. (2022). Applying co-teaching models to enhance partnerships between teachers and speech-language pathologists.Intervention in School and Clinic.